Other strengths of this study include the cross-cultural nature of the sample, and the unprecedented number of children with FAS or some features of FAS who were examined in a standard fashion. There are no exact statistics of how many people have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). It can sometimes be difficult to diagnose a person with FASD because of the variety of symptoms and spectrum of severity.
V. History: Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
- Damage to your developing baby can happen at any point during pregnancy.
- Women should be advised not to drink from the time of conception to birth.
- Children with FASD are at increased risk of physical and sexual violence, with 61% experiencing physical or sexual abuse or witnessing domestic violence by 12 years of age.29,39 Sexual abuse should be considered in children who present with inappropriate sexual behaviors.
- It’s also recommended that you not drink alcohol if you’re sexually active and not using effective birth control.
- Some symptoms can be managed with treatment by a healthcare provider, but they won’t go away.
Alcohol use during pregnancy causes life-long issues that can be very serious. If you’ve consumed alcohol during pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider. It’s important to make an early diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome. If you’re currently pregnant and drinking alcohol, stop immediately to try to lower the risk of FAS. Children with FASD are at increased risk of physical and sexual violence, with 61% experiencing physical or sexual abuse or witnessing domestic violence by 12 years of age.29,39 Sexual abuse should be considered in children who present with inappropriate sexual behaviors. A study demonstrated that more than one-half of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders do not consume the recommended dietary allowance of fiber, calcium, or vitamins D, E, and K.
Developmental stages
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person exposed to alcohol before birth. These Alcoholics Anonymous conditions can affect each person in different ways and can range from mild to severe. People with FASDs can have lifelong effects, including problems with behavior and learning as well as physical problems. FASDs are preventable if a developing baby is not exposed to alcohol. A permanent condition, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) happens when a woman consumes any amount of alcohol during a pregnancy.
- If a child exhibits these symptoms or the other problems mentioned above and the mother drank alcohol during her pregnancy, a trained medical professional can evaluate the child for FAS.
- The rates of alcohol use, FAS, and FASD are likely to be underestimated because of the difficulty in making the diagnosis and the reluctance of clinicians to label children and mothers.
- Parents might learn different routines and rules that can help their child adapt to different situations.
- Specialists could be a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or clinical geneticist.
- These are called secondary effects because they’re not part of FAS itself.
- FASD may present in childhood or early adulthood with mild social or intellectual concerns, or it can present with birth defects and growth problems during pregnancy.
Hearing in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
There isn’t a direct test for FAS, and pregnant women may not give a complete history of all alcohol intake during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a person drinks any alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, beer, hard ciders and “hard liquor”. One reason alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy is that it’s passed through your bloodstream to the fetus through the umbilical cord. The baby doesn’t metabolize (break down) alcohol in the same way an adult does – it stays in the body for a longer period of time.
In some cities, there are clinics whose staff members have special training in diagnosing and treating children with FASDs. To find healthcare providers and clinics in your area, contact FASD United’s (formerly NOFAS) Family Navigator program which provides individuals living with FASDs and their family members and caregivers with expert, confidential support and referrals. It’s also recommended that you not drink alcohol if you’re sexually active and not using effective birth control.
Treatment needs vary but include psychoactive medications, behavioral interventions, tailored accommodations, case management, and public resources.Globally, one in 10 women drinks alcohol during pregnancy, and the prevalence of having any FASD disorder is estimated to be at least 1 in 20. The rates of alcohol use, FAS, and FASD are likely to be underestimated because of the difficulty in making the diagnosis and the reluctance of clinicians to label children and mothers. Some have argued that the drunken fetal syndrome FAS label stigmatizes alcohol use, while authorities point out that the risk is real.
Dysmorphology Assessment
This condition can be prevented if you don’t drink any alcohol during pregnancy. It’s possible that even small amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can damage your developing fetus. These are symptoms of permanent, unchanging damage to the brain and are not within the child’s control. Although psychological factors such as abuse and neglect can add to the intensity of the problems, the behaviors should be viewed first and foremost as a result of brain damage from alcohol. If you think there could be a problem, ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a specialist (someone who knows about FASDs). Specialists could be a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or clinical geneticist.